Storage retailer The Container Store Inc. has redesigned its mobile commerce site to provide more desktop-like shopping functionality for its growing base of smartphone shoppers, says online marketing director Jessica Coogan. The new features include visual navigation, ratings and reviews, and pop-up overlays that allow customers to add items to the cart or post to social networks without going to another page, she says.

According to the latest research, mobile commerce websites are increasing their use of social media marketing because of the advantage it provides in generating a sense of a personal relationship between their customers and their brands. The researchers in this study referred to the trend as "swift guanxi" due to its areas of effectiveness.

Starbucks has seen some prosperity from its focus on mobile commerce in the U.S. The company embraced mobile commerce in an attempt to better cater to the growing number of consumers that have begun to rely heavily on smartphones and tablets. The company has been praised for the mobile commerce services it provides and has seen fit to expand these services into new markets, such as that of the United Kingdom

Consumers in some Asian markets are skipping the PC e-commerce stage and moving straight to making purchases from their mobile phones, Philip Yen, group head of emerging payments, APAC and MEA for MasterCard, suggested. "It's really Indonesia, Thailand and China, which are the ones that maybe just skip a little bit of accessing and shopping using PCs, and jump to mobile right away," he said.

Mobile commerce is making strong progress in Japan and much of this progress is being powered by MasterCard. The prominent credit company has taken a keen interest in mobile commerce in recent years, noting that the concept of mobile payments has become much more than a passing fancy among consumers. Today, more consumers are demanding comprehensive mobile commerce platforms and much of this demand can be found in Japan. MasterCard is eager to meet the demands of consumers by providing them with what they want.

Mobile commerce has managed to make major progress in the U.S. and Japan, but in Europe, mobile commerce has met with significant challenges that extend well beyond issues concerning security and efficiency. Language and infrastructure have proven to be the most complicated problems faced by the mobile commerce sector in Europe. Both the U.S. and Japan enjoy universal e-commerce markets due to the fact that both countries have a predominant language. Europe, however, is filled with countries that have very different languages from one another, making it difficult to create a universal mobile commerce ecosystem.

Mobile devices are edging closer to fulfilling their long-delayed promise as digital wallets, according to a new report. Consumers are beginning to see the advantage of channeling offline payments through their mobile devices, rather than carrying around clunky coins and cash - even debit and credit cards. Consumers are primed to go wallet-free and begin paying for goods and services via their mobile devices, and as a result, mobile payments are set to explode.

EBay is making a bigger play in mobile commerce with its revamped eBay Now iPhone application, as well as plans to release an Android app and expand to more delivery zones in the future. The eBay 2.0 update to its eBay Now iPhone app makes it easier for consumers to shop on the go no matter where they are. The eBay Now app is changing the way consumers shop and companies such as Kate Spade are teaming up with eBay to reach consumers on a whole other level.

High-end smartphone manufacturer Vertu is rapidly expanding its physical retail presence to reach high-net-worth, mobile-savvy consumers in established and emerging markets. Riding on its third consecutive annual sales turnover increase in 2012 and the launch of the Vertu Ti, the brand's first smartphone with the Android operating system, Vertu is aiming to reach global consumers by combining its original brand values with a modern twist. The brand plans to open 49 new boutiques and stores this year around the world to further tailor the brand experience to global markets.

Mobile payment and messaging services provider Callfactory, a subsidiary of KPN, has partnered with customer engagement specialist Momac in a move to enhance the customer experience via its one-click billing product Safeklick. The partnership will look to optimise the flow of payment, and further enhance Wi-Fi payment. It will also introduce the new Safeklick mobile portal, whoch will offer customers greater control and visibility with regards to their payment and subscriptions.